"After all you've gone through, it's a shame you can't even get a decent night's sleep. Maybe the dream is a good thing, a peek at the past?"
He shook his head no and gave a cynical chuckle. "It's funny. I'm the guy with no past and I have this . . . earlier vision and it's not even my memory."
"What did you see? I asked?"
"I have to mull it around in my head a bit more if you don't mind. Maybe I'll discuss it in the morning." He turned to me. "What would you do if you saw a flying saucer?"
This zinger out of the blue took me aback. I had no idea where this conversation was going. "Join AA," I answered. "Either that or change my eye glass prescription."
"Let's say it landed right in front of you when you were cold sober. You even touched it, maybe saw little green men. Then, poof, it's gone leaving no marks or evidence whatsoever." He looked at me. "Would you tell anyone?"
I thought a moment. "Probably not. I guess I'm a coward. I'd assume no one would believe me and I'd be at a loss to prove what I saw. I suppose I'd begin to doubt myself the more I thought about it."
Howie nodded. "Catch twenty-two." He smiled. "Go back to your lovely bride. Don't worry. I didn't see a space ship!" He turned and climbed the stairs.
Betsy was awake when I returned. I told her Howie had a flashback but I didn't relate the rest of his whacky conversation. She seemed satisfied and fell asleep at once. A little later I heard Howie shuffling back downstairs. I didn't hear him return. I lay awake for hours until I finally dozed, dreaming of space ships and aliens with toupees.
Arkansas. The hunt is on but the weather is too hot and sticky. Perhaps I'll move further east and see if the plucking is better when the weather is cooler.